Financial Aid for Graduate Students in Political Science and International Affairs
- The deadline for applications for the financial aid offered by the Department is February 15.
Application procedures are simple. Those applying for admission to our program need only check the appropriate boxes on their application forms. Students already enrolled our program should send email to or leave a note for our Director of Graduate Studies.
Most financial aid is awarded within a few weeks of the February 15 deadline. This means that applications received before that date have much better prospects. However, depending on availability, the department may make a very limited number of awards later in the summer and fall. Financial aid is competitive. Decisions are based on previous academic record, and, for incoming students, a combination of GRE test scores, letters of recommendation, and research experience. Students who receive aid in their first year are not guaranteed to receive aid in their second year, although strong preference is given to continuing students who have received aid in the past.
Types of Financial Aid
Our department offers two sorts of financial aid, research assistantships and tuition scholarships.
Research Assistantships
Our research assistants receiving partial or full tuition support and a stipend. They help faculty with their research and sometimes assist in teaching-related work. Their tasks include many different activities including summarizing literature, finding books and journal articles, proofreading manuscripts, translation, computer coding, and so forth. Teaching-related work may include proctoring exams, helping in the production of quizzes and tests, organizing reserve readings, and grading. Our research assistants typically work 10-15 hours per week and usually report to two or more faculty. The department supplies each of our research assistants with an office and a computer.
Tuition scholarships
Tuition scholarships pay for some or all of a student's tuition.
Additional Opportunities
Many of our students have secured aid from sources outside our department. Student loans are available for graduate students. The Marquette Trinity Fellows Program offers students with a record of community service in the United States or abroad an opportunity to pursue a graduate degree while continuing to serve the community. The Milwaukee Area Teachers Scholarship offers K-12 teachers in the Milwaukee area some tuition assistance. The Catholic Schools Scholarship also offers tuition assistance. Marquette University offers Minority Fellowships that provide a stipend and tuition assistance. For information on these and other fellowships, as well as general information on the costs of graduate education at Marquette, see the Marquette Graduate School's web page.
